Clock winding mechanism



May 26, 1931 A. w. FOWLER CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM Filed May 23. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l May 26, 1931. A. w. FOWLER 1,806,969

CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM Filed May 23. 1928 3 Sheeis-Sh'eet 2 May 26, 1931'. A. w. FOWLER 1,305,969

CLOCK WIN-DING MECHANISM Filed May 23. 19 28 5 Sheets-Sheet s bye/776m /7 "/70 W 931 /9;

Patented May 26,1931

ARNO w. FOWLER, or HIGHLAND, rumors CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM Application fiIed May 23,

This invention relates to clockwinding mechanism and an object is to PI'OVldQ; an improved electrically operated mechanism.

forwinding a clock, and means for automatically controlling said mechanism in the performance of its intended operations. I

' Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified electrically operated winding mechanism for embodiment in connection .10 with. the clock to wind the main spring thereof, in combination with meansforcontrolling said mechanism'in the highly efficient manner herein. disclosed. v

Other objects willappear from the fol- 1 lowing description, reference being made to the drawings in which v i Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the mechanism of a clock embodying the present invention.

I .20 Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, a part of the rear frame plate being removed and'the spindles being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clock containing my improved winding mechanism. .Fig. 4 is'an enlarged view, parts being in section, showing the winding devices directly associated with the spring to be wound." Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4. 3 Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 ofFig.4..-

Fig.7 is a view showing a-detail of the circuit breaking,v device whereby arcing. of the circuit is prevented. a

Fig. Sis a diagrammatic view 'of the elec tric circuit controlling operation ofv the mo- .tor. s I V The clock mechanism is supported b a frame comprising a front late 1, a rear p ate "2, and spacers 3 mounted etween said plates and to whichv said plates are secured.

The time indicating mechanism of the clock is operated by a springractuated gear wheel 4 rotatively supported on a shaft 5.

4 The wheel 4 is rotated around the shaft 5 as an axis by a spring 6 having one end attached to the shaft 5 and theother end attached to the inside of an enclosing spring drum 7 rigid with said wheel 4. It is to wind the g0 spring 6 that the present invention is pro- 192a. Serial 110.27%),885.

vided and this winding operation is perf formed by rotating the shaft 5 in a direction to wind said spring 6 while the gear wheel 4 by its entrained connectionsis held from rotation with said. shaft 5. 55. 7 An electric motor 8 is supported in a frame '9 attached tothe clock frame. ,The motor shaft 10 drives a small pinion 11 meshing with a gear 12 provided with a gear hub.13 meshing with a larger gear 14 havinga gear 15 on its, hub which meshes with a gear 16 attached to a shaft 17. The shaft 17 has a pinion 18 attached thereto and meshing with a gear 19 rigid on the shaft 5. It is obvious that by these connections the shaft 5 will be rotated when the motor 8 operates. I t

The hub 20 of the gear 4 has a disc 21 rigid thereon: at the side of which disc 21 an arm 22 is pivoted on said hub '20. A pin 23 projects from the disc 21 so as toengage and move the arm 22 therewith. A laminate-d disc 24is attached to a hub 25 :loosely mounted on the shaft 5. pin26 projects through the laminated disc 24 to op- V posite sides thereof, one endofisaid p-in be- 7 ing inthe line. of movement of the arm 22 so thatduring the cycle of operation of said arm 22 by the pin 23 which moves with the gear 4 said arm 22 is eventually engaged against the pin 26 and is caused to rotate the disc 24. r s v A pair of spring contact members 27 is mounted on aninsulated support 28 onv the frame plate 2.: These contact members 27 embrace the disc 24 between their freeends. Twolaminations of the disc 24 aresplit to form diverging arms 29. Strips of insulating material 30 are secured between the arms '29. and extend circumferentially along the sides of the disc 24 for ashort-di'stance be- .9

yond the ends of the arms 24 to provide insulating contacts for the ends of the contact .members 27 in order to open the circuit .to stop the winding mechanism when these extended portions of the strips 30 are between the members 27. Awire 31v from a plug or other connection with a source of electrical energy leads to one of the. contact members 27; a wire 32 connects the other contact member 2 w d 9 the mqbo me hanism;

' nections previously described to rotate the.

disc 24 have their ends flared so that, as they shaft 5 and thereby wind the spring 6.

A feature ofthe invention consists in the novel construction of the disc24for making and breaking .the circuit. The" arms 29 formed by splitting the laminations of the pass between the ends of the. contact members 27, said contact members ,27 are spread apart I relatively a much greater distance than when they contact with the sides of the thinner portion of the disc 24. Continued rotation of the disc 24 by mechanism drivenvby the motor. as presently described, moves the ends of the arms 29 beyond and from between the contact members 27, placing the exposed portions of theinsulation strips 30 between and incon ting the resiliency of said contact members tact with the contact members 27 thus instantly opening and'breaking the circuit, preventing arcing across the space between the contact members 27 and causing the motor instantly to stop. The'parts remain in thisposition in which the exposed portions of the insulation strips 30 are between'the contact spread apart almost to their greatest extent of spreading untilit is time for'the clock tobe irewound. When it is time for the clock to be-rewoun'dthe disc 24 is turned bythe devices shown inFig. 5, and, as described above,

to move the strips 30'beyond and out of contact withthe contact members 27 permit- 27 to spring them into contactwith the sides of I themetallic'disc 24, 'therebyclosing the circ'uit and causing the motor to operateto re- 'windthe clock. i V I When the ends of thearms 29 pass beyond and from between the contact me1nbers'27 the circuitis completely broken becauseof gaps '30 in the insulation stri-ps 3Q underthe ends of the arms 29. These gaps arelof greater width than the thicknessof the contact mempletely.

'lv from the arms'29 to-break the circuit com- A hub 33 is rigid on the shaft 5 and has a I disc 34 rigidly attached thereto and provided with a laterally projecting. pin 35. An arm :36 is pivoted on the hub 33 in position to en- 'gage the pin 26 t-hatis carried bythe disc 24 so, that at the proper time the disc 24 will be rotated by the shaft 5 a sufficient distance to place the insulation'strips 30 between the endsof the contact members 27 and thus break the circuit. A c i Fromthe foregoing it is apparent that at theproper time the. circuit is closed by the operation of the continuously running gear 4 rotate the shaft 5 in a direction to wind the spring 6. And this rotation of said shaft 5 forwinding said spring 6 continues until until the proper time for a rewinding opera- -and desire 'to'secure by Letters Patent is members 27 and hold said contact members which operates the time indicating mechaas seen in Fig. 5) until the disc 24 is moved a distance sufficient to carry the insulation strips 30 beyond and out of "contact with the resilient contact members 27; This closes the circuit whereby the motor 8 is operated to the pin 35 has caused the arm 36 to engage the pin 26 and move the disc 24 nearly a complete revolution. which is a distance sufiicient to carry the insulation strips 30 between the ends of the resilient contact arms 27 This breaks'the circuit and the motoris stopped tion, as before. i I

It is now clear that my'invention isvof a highly simplified and efficient nature, almost,

infallible in operation, and'obtains all of 'its intended objects and purposes." The construction, arrangement and relationship "of 'partsmay be varied w1th1n a wide range of equivalents without departure from the nature and principle of the invention. I do not restrict myself unessentially, but what Iclaim ranged to contact with said members andclose the circuit between them, insulating means mounted on said disc for breaking thecircult between said contact members, two independently rotatable concentric members,

an element rotative, about said shaftfor'r'otatin'gone of said members,a device pivoted'on and operated by saidone' member for moving said disc a distance sufiicient'to carry said nsulating means beyond said contact members, an arm pivoted co-axia'lly with said" shaft, and means operated by said shaftfor causing said arm to rotate saiddisc a distance 'suflicient to interpose said insulating means between said contact members. bers' 27 so that the latter are spaced suflicienting means mounted on said disc for breaking the circuit between said contact members, two

independently rotatable concentric members.

an element rotative about said shaft and ii gid one member for moving said disc a distance suflic e'nt to carry insnlating'means beyond said contact me bersand to cause said "with one of said members, an armpivoted co- 5 axially with said shaft and operated by, said disc to close said circuit between said contact members, and mechanism for rotating said shaft when said circuit between said contact members is closed by said disc.

3. A device of the character described comprising a rotary shaft, a pair of resilient contact members, a metallic disc mounted for rotation about said shaft as an axis and arranged to contact with said members and close the circuit between them during a portion of each complete revolution of said disc, insulating means mounted on said disc for breaking the circuit between said contact members, two independently rotatable concentric members, an element rotative about said shaft and rigid with one of said members, an arm pivoted coaxially with said shaft and operated by said one member for moving said disc a distance sufiicient to carry said insulating means beyond said contact members and to cause said disc to close said circuitbetween said contact members, mechanism for rotating said shaft when said circuit between said contact members is closed by said disc, an arm pivoted coaxially with said disc, and means Operated by said shaft for causing said second arm to rotate said disc a distance sufiicient to interposesaid insulating means between said contact members to break the circuit.

4. A device of the character described comprising a pair of resilient contact members, a metallic disc mounted for rotation and arranged to extend between and contact with said members and close the circuit between them, insulating means mounted on said disc for breaking the circuit between said contact members in one position of said disc about its axis, two independent rotatable concentric members, an element rotative about said shaft and rigid with one of said members, an arm pivoted co-axially with said shaft and operated by said one member for turning said disc a suflicient distance to carry said insulating means beyond said contact members and to cause said disc to close the circuit between said contact members, an actuator for said disc pivoted concentrically with said disc, and means operated by said other concentric member for causing said actuator to turn said disc to position in which said insulating means is between said contact members.

. 5. A device of the character described comprising a shaft to be rotated, a pair of resilient contact members, a rotary metallic disc arranged to extend between and to contact with said contact members and to close the circuit betweenthem during a portion of each complete revolution of said disc, insulating means mounted on said disc for breaking the circuit between said contact members during the remaining portion of each complete revolution of said disc, two independently rotatable concentric members, a relativelyrotative device operated by one of said concentrio members independently of said shaft for turning said disc a distance suflicient to carry .said insulating means beyond said contact members'and to cause said disc to close said circuit between said contact members, mechanism for rotating said shaft when said disc 7 is moved'by said'one of said concentric members as aforesaid, and means pivoted for swinging movements about and controlled by said shaft for causing said other concentric member to'turn said disc to position in which said insulating means is between saidcontact members. I

6. A device of the character described comprising a shaft to be rotated, a pair of resilient contact members,-a metallic 'discmounted for rotation and arranged to extend between and contact with saidmembers and close the circuit between them during aportion of each complete revolution of said disc, insulating means mounted on said disc for breaking the circuit between said contact members during the remainder of each complete revolution of said disc, two rotatable concentric members, an arm pivoted concentrically with said shaft, a device operated by one of said concentric members for causing said arm to turn 7. A device of the character described com- I prising a shaft to be rotated, a pair of resilient contact members, a metallic disc arranged to extend between and contact with said contact members to close the circuit between them during a portion of each complete revolution of said disc, insulating means on said disc for breaking the circuit between said contact members during the remainder of each complete revolution of said disc, two independently rotatable concentric members, an arm pivoted co-axially with and operated by one of said concentric members for moving said disc a sufiicient distance to carry said insulating means beyond said contact members and to place said disc in position to close the circuit between said contact members, mechanism for rotating said shaft when the circuit is closed between said contact members by said disc, an arm pivoted coaxially with said second concentric member, and means operated by said second member for causing said second arm to turn said disc a sufiicient distance to interpose said insulating means between said contact members to break the circuit.

8. A device of the character described comprising a rotary shaft, electric contact means, a'metallic disc mounted forrotation about said shaft as an axis and arranged to contact with said contact means to close an electric circuit, insulating .means mounted on said disc for en agement with said contact means to break the circuit, a member mounted for rotation about said shaft as an axis, a device pivoted concentrically with said 710 member, means for moving sald device by said member, means for, turning said disc by 7 said device, an arm pivoted co-axially with said device, means for rotating'said shaft, means operated by said shaft formoving. said 15 arm, and means operated b ,said arm for moving said disc a sufiicient istance to place said insulating Vine-ans in contact with said contact means. f

9. A device of the character described com- I 20 prising a rotary shaft, electric contact means,

i a metallic disc mounted for rotation about said shaft as an axis and arranged to contact with said, contact means and close an electric circuit, insulating means incconnection with said disc for engagement with said contact means to break the electric circuit,

two independently rotatable co-axial' members, a pair of arms pivoted co-axially with said members, means for operating said arms by the respective co-axial members, means for moving said disc by one of said arms a distance suificient to carry said insulating means beyond said contact means, and means operated by said shaft for-causingthe other one of said arms to move saiddisc a distance suflicient to place said insulating means in contact'withsaid contact means.

a ARNO W. FOWLER. 

